Grain-washing machine



C. DAWSON.

GRAIN WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. L8, 1920.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

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APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18, I920.

Patented Dec 20, 1921.

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C. DAWSON.

GRAIN WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 18. 1920.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921;

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GRAIN WASHiNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 1a, 1920.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

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incense.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Dec. 21), 1921;,

Application filed October 18, 1920. Serial No. 417,766.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES Dawson, a citizen of the United States, and resident or the city of Tacoma, county of Pierce, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-YVashing Machines, of which the following, is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in grain washing machines, and more particularly to machines of that character ifor washing and scouring wheat to tree it from smut and other impurities in order that it will be suitable "for food making purposes.

The principal objectoi? the invention is to improve upon machines now in use for doing this work by the provision of means whereby the operations of washing,scouring and drying are successfully and automatically carried out, and which embodies best ers of: a novel character, some of which are equipped with'means for the actuation of spring controlled deflectors which serve to agitate and throw the wheat so that smut balls thereon will be more thoroughly broken up than has heretofore been possible.

lln accomplishing these and other objects or the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I Figure 1 is a side elevation of a-grani Washing machine constructed according to the present invention. I

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same particularly illustrating the arrangement of the heaters within the washing cylinders.

to the uppercated at 3 and 4. In many respects the present device, is similar to former devices for washing grain, such for instance as is shown in U. Patent No. 1,231,002, issued to me June 26, 1917. y i

In the present device the cylinder 2, which receives the grain and wherein the scouring is done, is made up of alternately arrangec. ir perforated and perforated cylindrical sections, joined together by ineans of bolts extended through regist'ering flanges 6 at their abutting ends. This construction provides for easier manufacture and assembly and permits the removal or worn sections without necessitating the discarding of parts not worn as would bethe case if the cylinder was made in a single section.

Extending co-axially through the respective cylinders are shafts and 8 which may he revolubly driven by suitable means such as belts extended over pulley wheels 10 at the outer ends of the shafts, as is illustrated in F 2. Secured in spaced relation upon these shafts are spiders 11 comprising radially extended arms 12whereon blades, or beaters,.13. are carried. The heaters are mounted to extend spirally in such direction that, when in operation, they will carry the grain from the receiving to the discharging ends of the cylinders and are spaced from the casing tonicely clear the same and the deflector devices carried on some of the casing sections. it the speed of rotation be rapid enough, they will carry the grain about the entire inner surfaceof the casing, thus rubbing the grains upon each other and effectively scouring them,

particularly if water be supplied to the interior of the casing.

in Figs. 1 and 3, l have shown a pipe 15 for delivering water into the receiving end of the casing for-rinsing; purposes and from which are extended branch pipes-16 and 17 for delivering water into the lower cylinder for the washing purpose; Thegrain is introduced-into the lower cylinder adjacent one end, through a spout 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and delivered from its op posite end into the upper cylinder througha connecting spout 19, and is delivered from the latter cylinder through a discharge spout 20. y

Water is delivered into the lower casing at two points, one about midway thereof and the other adjacent its discharge end. The rinsing water is delivered into the upper casing adjacent its receiving end.

Water may also be admitted if desired with the wheat into the receiving cylinder. This is illustrated in Fig. 3 which shows water flowing into the feed spout 18 to mix with the grain as it moves through the spout.

The lower cylinder 2 .comprises four sections, the first section is imperforated, th second shorter than the first and perfo rated, the third about the length of the first and imperforated, and the last substantially longer than the others and perforated. The imperforated sections have a series of de flectors or ribs 22 mounted thereon, and

which, as is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, are fixed centrally to stems 23 that extend outwardly through the casing wall and which have springs 24 coiled thereabout and secured to the stems and casing in such manner as to yieldingly retain the ribs in an in clined direction substantially at a right angle to the direction of the beater blades as they pass over the same. blades that pass adjacent .these deflectors have fingers 25 adjustably fixed thereto by bolts 26 so that they may be extended or drawn in from the casing wall, and which at their outer ends are adapted to engage the ends of the. deflectors as the reel revolves to causethem to snap back and forth to beat and throw the wheat as it is driven forwardlyby the beaters.

The beater blades that pass over the perforated sections are provided with closely placed notches 27-which provide interme diate projecting portions 28 which act to comblthe grain as the heaters revolve.

The blades, or beaters, which employedin the sections at the discharge ends of the cylinders, are of special shape, as is best shown inFig. 1. Thesehave their end portions 30, which pass adjacent the discharge openings, turned from the spiral di-' 7 rection of the other parts of the beater, to

extendparallel with the drive shafts, so that the grain caught up will be delivered directly into the discharge spouts.

The upper, cylinder has but one imperforate section 35,.and that is theone into which the water pipe 15 opens; this being imperforated in order to retain the rinsing Water until it is taken up by the grain in passing.

. Drying of the grain in the upper cylinder is facilitated by the placing of fans '36 in the opposite ends of the same which are secured on the shaft 7 to turn therewith to force air through the cylinder. Grain is prevented from being thrown through the fan openings by means of screens 37 fitted therein. V

It is evident that if desired, the first cylinder may be entirely devoted to the wash- The heater v ing and rinsing actions and that the second cylinder may be used for drying the wheat; or a portion of the rinsing may be performed in the second cylinder.

Assuming that the device is so constructed itsoperation would be as follows:

Grain is delivered into the lower cylinder through the spout. As it enters the cylinder it is caught up by the spirally directed beater blades and is driven toward the opposite end of the cylinder. In passing through the cylinder it engages first, the deflectors which are actuated back andforth by engagement therewith of the fingers 25 that extend from the blades, to break and beat the smut balls. It is then combed and driven forward by the notched blades, again passes a series of deflectors 22 where water is delivered thereto, and finally is thrown into the upper cylinder, to be similarly driven to the discharge end of the latter. In passing through the upper cylinder, the water is drained from the grain and the grain dried by the blast of air from the fans 36.

It has been found that a device of the above character will thoroughly clean grain which is extremely smutty and dirty, and will leave it in such condition that it is very desirable for food making purposes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

l. A grain washing and scouringdevice coniprislur a cylinder having successively from its grain receiving end an imperforate peripheral belt. a perforate beltQa second imperforate belt and a wide perforate belt extending to the otherend, deflectors mount-- ed on the imper-forate belts, means for advancing grain along the cylinder and means for delivering water into the cylinder linders and fingers extending from the heaters for actuating the ribs on their'pivot'al mountings.

34A grain washing and scouring device comprising, a cylinder having successively from its grain receiving end an imperforate peripheral belt, a perforate belt, asecond imperforate belt and a wide perforate belt extending to the other end, deflecting ribs pivotally mounted on the imperforate belts, a reel revoluble withinthe cylinder comprising beaters extending spirally adjacent the cylinder walls for advancing grain through increase the cylinders; said heaters having fingers extending therefrom to actuate the ribs on their pivotal mountings and having notches in the edges moving adjacent the perforate sections.

4. A grain scouring device comprising a cylinder mounted horizontally and having imperforated and perforated belts alternating, the imperforated belts having helically inclined deflecting ribs mounted thereon, revolving beaters mounted to sweep about within the cylinder and having slight angular position adapted to assist in advancing the grain through the same and means for supplying water to the grain within the cylinder by conduits entering through the imperforate sections.

5. A. grain scouring device comprising a cylinder mounted horizontally and having imperforated and perforated belts alternating, the imperforated belts having helically inclined deflecting ribs mounted thereon, and springs for yieldingly retaining the ribs in said helically inclined position, a reel revolubly mounted within the cylinder co1nprising a plurality of spirally arranged heaters adapted to sweep about within the cylinder to advance the grain, fingers adjustably fixed to the heaters to engage the deflector ribs to actuate them about their pivotal mounting, and having notched edges adapted to move adjacent the perforated belts and means for supplying water to the grain Within the cylinder.

6. In a grain scouring machine, a drum provided with a grain supply or feed spout at one end and a discharge spout at its opposite end. said drum having perforated peripheral bands therein, means for supplying cleansing Water to the grain, means for forcing air into said drum, a shaft rotatively mounted and extending lengthwise through the drum, spiders carried upon said shaft, heaters mounted on the spiders to extend spirally of the drum and close to the wall thereof and having end portions which pass adjacent the discharge opening turned parallel with the shaft for the purpose set forth.

7. A grain scouring device of the class described comprising upper and lower horizontally arranged cylinders; the lower comprising alternate imperforate and perforate sections and having a feed spout at one end and a discharge spout at its opposite end leading into one end of the upper cylinder; the upper cylinder being perforated throughout the greater part of its length and having a discharge spout at the end opposite the inlet spout; reels mounted Within the cylinders having spirally arranged heaters thereon for driving the grain through the lower cylinder into the upper cylinder and then through the latter, means for supplying cleansing water to the grain in the lower.

cylinder and means for forcing air through the cylinders for the purpose set forth.

8. A device as in claim 7 wherein deflecting ribs are pivotally mounted with the lower cylinder on the imperforate sections, and fingers are adjustably fixed to the beat ers to actuate the ribs on the mounting.

Signed at Seattle, Washington this 13th day of October, 1920.

CHARLES DAWSON. 

